Thermostatically operated shutter for automobiles



Aug. 4, 1931. 555 1,817,398

THERMOSTATICALLY OPERATED SHUTTER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 f7 llllllIllll 4 Illllll /m e/7f MVM Afij s M. SEE

Aug. 4, 1931.

THERMOSTATICALLY OPERATED SHUTTER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J WY Aug. 4, 1931. M. SEE 1,817,398

I THERMOSTATIGALLY OPERATED SHUTTER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 //7 venfoy M. SEE

Aug. 4, 1931.

THERMOSTATICALLY OPERATED SHUTTER FOR AUTOIOBILES Filed June 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug.o4, 1931 UNITED STA mrnm smmcuuiorems sm-mm eon AUTQMOBIIIES a rl ati n 41 Jun i 1 3 fi fl rNQ- 1 4 1 adapt the construction so thatithe' slats Ofthe shutter may-be manually closed, and atthe same time-break the ignition circuit of the motor, and thus obviate the danger ofaga n running the motor'juntilthe thermostatic control assembly has'beenreturned to itsoperat-ive position.

Another. object of'the invention is'to divide the 'front intovshutter. sections and successively open and close the same;

.Other objects will be ,apparentupon reading this specification in connection With'the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an automobile radiator having a protecting front thereon:

"Fig. 2 is a -vertical cross section'takenalong of the arrows; I I Y ig. 3 is z a ve ic c o e i alo g t igilooking?inithedi eet of t ine' Q ig-1 .,110Q1 es ni h direction thearrows;

Fig 4 i a c os s ti n t ating th thermostatic and manual; control'mechanisn i d ai of th hermnst ti' Qant lm chanism;

Fig. 16 is a frontel vation 5 any ifitdil tfi protector showing the z-thermal eon rol the lower end -thereof Figl? is-a vertical eros's-sectiontakenalong the line ,7'7 of --Fig. 6;looking in thedirection oftlie arrows;

Fig. '8 is a vertical elevation'off a noclified form of ,my front, showing the shutter in three sections, M

fill -Fig. 9-is across section taken along "the enclosing a coil 28.

line 9-9 ofFignBflooking in the direction of the arrows;-ancl o I Fig. lO'is a fragmentary viewo-fannntoni obile radiator supplied with supplementary heattransportingfifins.

Re ferriii g; now indet-a iltog'the drawingsyhl represents an automobileradiatorand 1'2 the frame of the protecting "front 'there'iorythe said {frame beingsecured to said radiator 'by-thebol-ts 13, mounted inlthesaidirmne are shutter seetions designated in Eig. 1 as A a'nd B andLin;Fig.-8 as A,'-B, -and-C, said shutter sections each "embodying slats '14, which are 'adapteclto be automatically opened When the heat of the radiator rises to -;a temperature at which it is (lesignedto the same operative. 7

These slats "14 have lugs 15 inountedpnthe backs thereof, which lugs in turn,-are pivot ally niounted in the frame- 12 of the shutter,

- the pivots 16beingshmvnfOrthatpurpose.

{Ilielugs 15 ,are preferably in the forinof bell cranks, theories in section being pivotedat "-17 in-the link bar ,18. This-bar is .normally held in upward position "by the spring 2,0 which is connectedtmthestud 151) (If the bell crank 15a, and maintains the slatsin normally closed position. The'lowe section, or section B, embodies shutter slats successively controlled over those just described, but the construction and opera tion of the, same is similar. The slats-ofitheilat-ter section are normally, maintainedin closed position by the spring '21, which is "connected to the stud 23 on'th'e bell crank -1 5c. In Fig. 8 a thirdshutter section is gshowmnainely, gect-ion C,'the slats of which are adaptedto be successively controlledafter those of section ,B, and closed position hythe spring TOlinked-tothe' studi'lon'the bell crank 72.

,In the upper part :of the "frame-12 chaniber 'f'gl "providedgwith wheat insulating lining 25 in ,which is located a ceilboxfil,

s ring "compartment 39 "in :the lower t -ereof, and is preferably made intake-sec tion's I gether. e c0i1. 28.is closed I anti "at the other end 40a emimumeatesqieh This coil sex "has in,

which are also normally he-ld in the tube 29 partially enclosed in the sleeve 34. The tube 29 is fitted at its other end with aferrule 41 which also closes the said end at 42. The corrugations 43 in the tube 29 are shown to indicate the extensibility of said tube when submitted to internal pressure, and

the assumption of its normal position when the pressure is released.

At the end of the ferrule 41 is connected a yoke having the legs 44 and 45, which are respectively swiveled in the lugs 31 and 32, attached to the key slat 46 of section A and the key slat 47 of section B of the shutter, respectively. The leg 45 is provided with a slot 33 to cooperate with the swivel pin 32 effecting a lost motion connection between the yoke 30 and the lug 32, and thereby delay the opening of the slats of section B over those ofsection A.

In Fig. 8 wherein three shutter sections are shown, the yoke 30 is bifurcated so as to form the arms 61 and 62, which are respectively connected to the lugs 63 and 64 of the key slats 65 and 66. A lost motion connection similar to that described with reference to the bi-sectional shutter is provided for the section B slats of the embodiment shown in this figure and another lost motion connection is similarly provided with reference to section C slats thereof. The slot 67 in the arm 61 is smaller than the slot 68 in the arm 62. The purpose for this is to delay the operation of the slats in section C over the operation of the slats in section B. 35 We have therefore, the operation of the slats in section A controlled by a swivel without lost motion, the slats in section B controlled by a swivel having a certain degree of lost motion, and the slats in section C controlled by a swivel having a greater degree of lost motion than that in section B, the result being that the slats of sections A, B and C are respectively successively opened, which is an advantageous operation over the present method of opening the slat-s of the shutters simultaneously.

The cuff 48 is secured to the sleeve 34 at 49, and fits loosely over the ferrule 41, and acts as a guide therefor in its reciprocal motion as hereinafter described. The sleeve 34 is provided atits upper end with a nut projection 36 which rests upon and is supported by the shoulder 37 of the spring box 39. A thrust spring 38 bears against the upper part of said spring box and the said nut 36, the said nut being threaded on the sleeve 34 for convenient assembly.

The coil box 27 is adapted to be manually raised in the chamber 51, but is held againstarcuate motion by the guides 24. A boss 50 is secured to the chamber 51 on the exterior of its upper wall, and has a central opening therein which extends through the upper wall of the chamber 51, for the accommodation of the stud 52 which extends through and is secured in the fitting of the coil box 27. The boss 50 is provided with a slot 54 which communicates with a second slot 55 in the interior thereof. A pin 56 projects from the stud 52, which upon the radial turning of the handle 57 will be turned therewith, and when in register with the slot 54 will permit the raising of the stud 52 and parts supported thereby, until the pin 56 clears the slot 54 when the handle 57 may be given another turn and the pin permitted to rest on the top of the boss 50, thus holding the entire thermostatic control assembly out of operative engagement with the slats of the shutter. The ignition circuit of the motor to which the shutter is attached includes the terminals 157, and the ignition circuit will be broken upon the lifting of the thermostatic assembly, as above described, making it impossible to start the machine until the thermostatic assembly has been again put in operative position.

In Fig. 10 is a side view of the coil box 27 in its application to an automobile radiator, the same being represented by the radiator tubes 58 with the fins 59 included therewith. Mounted between said tubes 58 are supplementary fins 6O acting as additional conveyances in transmitting heat from the radiator to the tubes 28 and 2.9-.

In Fig. 6 my thermostatic control is illus tratcd at the lower end of the radiator. In this figure we have the coil box 27 with the coil 28 therein connected to the tube 29 at 41. The sleeve 34 is provided to circumscribe and confine the lateral expansion of the tube 29. 100 The ferrule is shown at 41, which acts upon the spring drawn lever 69, the other end of which is swivelly linked to the bell crank 31, the construction of which is similar to that shown in Fig. 3. y

In operation, a fluid is introduced into the coil 28 and its communicating tube 29, completely filling them, such fluid having the property of expansion under the influence of heat. Upon a sufficient degree of heat 110 from the automobile radiator being transmitted to the fluid contained in the tubes 28 and 29 which may be so transmitted both directly and through the fins 59 and 60, the expansion of such fluid will be such as to extend 115 the tube 29 and thereby actuate the yoke 30 and the key slat 46 of section A together with the slats controlled thereby. The mechanism may be adjusted to operate at a predetermined temperature. The lug 81 attached to 120 the key slat 46 is also mounted in the link bar 18, which also has linked thereto lugs carried on the backs of the other operable slat-s in the section of the shutter controlled from the key slat 46. Upon the tube 29 being ex- 1 tended, therefore, by the expansion of its fiuid content by heat, the key slat 46 is opened and the link bar 18 drawn down thereby, and the other operable slats through their lugs connected to the said link bar are also opened.

, greatendegree of heat-being transmittedto the fluid content of the tubes. Upon such additional elongation taking place, the lost motion.connectionbetween the leg 33 and the lug 82in shutter section B willbecome opera-' J tive so asto act upon the'key slat .47 and open the same. This key slat, through its lug 32 is connected withithe link bar 22, to which are also swivelly connected the lugs or bell cranks connected to .the other slats in that section d of the-shutter andnponthe proper degree of heat being transmitted to the fluid content of the tubes resulting in the further elongation of the same the slat-s in said. section of the shutter will be. opened accordingly.

111 Fig. -8, in which a modified form is shown, three shutter sections are illustrated.

Sections A and B are controlled in the mannor just described. For the shutter in section,C., a lost motion-connection in which the slot is longer than insection B, is made be tween the arm 62-and the lug 64L Assuming that theslats in sections A and B have been opened, additional expansion ofthe fluid content of the tubes 28 and 29 will have to take placein-order to,open;the slats in section C, and'upon suchadditional heat being communicated to said fluid such expansion will take place and thesection C slats will be opened.

Upon theifluidcontent of the tubes 28 and 29 cooling, the tube 29 will contract to its normal size, and the springs 20, 21. and 70 of sections A, B, and C will close'the slats thereof by their tensile action upon the bell A cranks attached to the respective key slats of said shutter sections.

In Weather of low temperature, however, it is always desirable to keep any heat which has been generated by the engine from dis- 5 sipation after the engine has been stopped, as

for parking and other purposes. Ordinarily the slats of the shutter would remain open until the temperature of the fluid content of the tubes has fallen to a degree to contract the length of the tube 29 sufiiciently to close the slats of the shutter. In order to obviate the dissipation of heat which would otherwise take place during the period of cooling between the time when the engine has been stopped and the contraction of the tube 29 to close the slats of the shutter, the entire thermal assembly may be manually lifted by the handle 57, the pm 56 through the stud 52 being raised through and out of the groove 5& of the boss 50, when the handle is turned so as to permit the said pin torest on the top of said boss. In thus lifting the said thermostatic assembly the yoke 30 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the slats of the shutter are accordingly all closed and the en- .gineds protected thereby from the low temperature. ,Ihe slats ofthe shutter are nor jmally in. closed-position whennot acted upon by-the thermostatic assembly, and maintained in said close'dposition by the springs 20,21 and .7 0.

Experience has .shown that even in freezingtemperature ifithe slats of an automobile .shutterfail to open, steaming of the radiator results, occasioning damage to the engine. have, therefor-e,provided means for automatically breaking-the ignition circuit of the engine when the thermostatic assembly is manually raised and to keep said circuit open until the same isagain in operative position. For this purpose I have provided the terminals 157 in Fig. 4 which will be separated upon the lifting of the handle 57 and the parts controlled thereby and will again be closed when the thermostatic assembly is put back into operative position.

It will be understood, of course, that the material and construction of the tube 29 will be such as to provide for its elongation under pressure and its contraction whenpressure is 4 relieved.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated my thermostatic control as being fitted to the lower side ofthe shutter. In some cars thisis preferable over aposition in the upper part of the shutter. Where the control is so placed, I prefer to fill the tubes 28 and 29 for operation at a lower temperaturethan .where the'control is located adjacent-the upper part ,of the radiator. In this figure, the lower section of the shutter is a dummy which; acts as a proteciion for the carburetoror other parts of an automobile seriously affected by low temperature and which. may be in thearea, of protection thereof. It isapparent, of course, thatonly half of the lower section of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 may be of dummy oonstruction,and the other half,-to the left of the thermostatic assembly may be provided with .operabile slats controlled :from the upper shutter assembly as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8.

I have .describedwhat I believe to be the .bestembodiment of my invention. I dov not wish to be confined, hOWGVGYytO the embodiment shown, but what Idesire to ,protectby Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. I

What .I-claim as new is:

1. In a shutter for hydrocarbon engines, a 1

shutter frame having a plurality. of openings therein, slats adapted to be opened and closed mounted in each of said openings, and thermostaticaneans for opening the slats in each opening in successive order.

2. In a shutter for hydrocarbonengines, slat supporting means, slats adapted to be movedto opened and closed positions mounted insaid supporting means, and thermostatic means for openingthe slats in Sequence;

3. In a shutter for hydrocarbon engines, a

shutter frame having a plurality of openings therein, slats adapted to be opened and closed mounted in each of said openings, thermostatic means for opening the slats of each opening in successive order, and means for locking said slats in closed position.

4. In a shutter for hydrocarbon engines, a shutter frame, slats adapted to be moved to opened and closed positions mounted in said frame, thermostatic means for opening the slats in sequence and means for locking said slats in closed position.

5. In a shutter for hycrocarbon engines embodying an electric ignition circuit, slats in said shutter, thermostatic means for opening said slats, means for interrupting the thermostatic operation 01" said slats, and means operated and controlled by said in terrupting means for breaking the electric ignition circuit of said engine, and preventing the restoration of said circuit until the thermostatic control of the slats has been re-established.

6. In a shutter for a hydrocarbon engine embodying an electric ignition circuit, a plurality of sections, slats adapted to be opened and closed mounted in each of said sections, thermostatic means for opening the slats in each section in successive oi r, and means for simultaneously interrupting the thermostatic operation of said slats and breaking the electric ignition circuit of said engine.

7. In a shutter for a hydrocarbon engine embodying an electric ignition circuit, slats in said shutter, thermostatic means for operating said slats, means for manually interrupting the thermostatic operation of said slats and means operated by said interrupting means for breaking the ignition circuit and keeping it broken until the thermostatic control is reestabli hed.

8. In a shutter for hydrocarbon engines, a shutter frame having a'plurality of openings therein, slats arranged in sections, each section including a key slat, adapted to be opened and closed mounted in each of said openings, thermostatic control mechanism, and swivelled connections between said control mechanism and the key slat of one of said sections and a lost motion connection between said control mechanism and the other of said sections, said connections being adapted to efi'ect successive opening of the slats of said shutter sections.

9. In a shutter for hydrocarbon engines, a shutter frame having a plurality of openings therein, slats, including a key slat, adapted to be opened and closed, mounted in each of said openings, thermostatic control mechanism and swivelled connections between said control mechanism and the key slat of one of said sections, lost motion conn ctions between said control mechanism and the others of said sections, such. lost motion connections lll'f il ing from each other in quantity of lost motion, and thereby adapting the said slat sections to be successively opened.

10. In a thermostatic control mechanisnr for shutters for automobile motors embodying. an electric ignition circuit, a thermostatic control assembly adapted to operate within a limited space, and means for simultaneously breaking the ignition circuit and increasing the space of operation of the control assembly and thereby interrupting the operation of the motor and of the control assembly.

11. In a thermostatic control mechanism for a shutter for automobile motors embodying an electric circuit, a switch in said ignition circuit, a thermostatic control assembly adapted to operate within a limited space, a

sembly, and switch member attached thereto,

and thereby interrupting the operation of the control assembly and break the ignition circuit.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature to this specification.

MILTON SEE.

' ole housing adapted to enclose a part of 

